Backscatter Device Onboarding

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/497,054 filed Oct. 30, 2023, now U.S. Pat. No. 12,489,523, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/502,085, filed May 13, 2023, the complete disclosure of each is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The present disclosure relates generally to providing Backscatter Device (BKD) onboarding.

In computer networking, a wireless Access Point (AP) is a networking hardware device that allows a Wi-Fi compatible client device to connect to a wired network and to other client devices. The AP usually connects to a router (directly or indirectly via a wired network) as a standalone device, but it can also be an integral component of the router itself. Several APs may also work in coordination, either through direct wired or wireless connections, or through a central system, commonly called a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) controller. An AP is differentiated from a hotspot, which is the physical location where Wi-Fi access to a WLAN is available.

Prior to wireless networks, setting up a computer network in a business, home, or school often required running many cables through walls and ceilings in order to deliver network access to all of the network-enabled devices in the building. With the creation of the wireless AP, network users are able to add devices that access the network with few or no cables. An AP connects to a wired network, then provides radio frequency links for other radio devices to reach that wired network. Most APs support the connection of multiple wireless devices. APs are built to support a standard for sending and receiving data using these radio frequencies.

Backscatter Device (BKD) onboarding may be provided. BKD onboarding may begin with an AP receiving an identifier associated with a BKD. The AP may determine to onboard the BKD and transmit to the BKD an onboarding excitation signal to request data from a memory bank of the BKD. The AP may then receive a response to the onboarding excitation signal from the BKD. The AP may verify the BKD is valid based on the identifier and the response. Finally, the AP may onboard the BKD based on verifying the BKD is valid.

Both the foregoing overview and the following example embodiments are examples and explanatory only and should not be considered to restrict the disclosure's scope, as described, and claimed. Furthermore, features and/or variations may be provided in addition to those described. For example, embodiments of the disclosure may be directed to various feature combinations and sub-combinations described in the example embodiments.

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar elements. While embodiments of the disclosure may be described, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made to the elements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described herein may be modified by substituting, reordering, or adding stages to the disclosed methods. Accordingly, the following detailed description does not limit the disclosure. Instead, the proper scope of the disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Backscatter Devices (BKDs) are devices that may be limited in power and/or processing capabilities. BKDs may have an external battery, have just a limited power supply, and/or may be passive devices. For example, Ambient Power (AMP) BKDs can use Radio Frequency (RF) signals to transmit data without a power source such as a battery or a connection to electricity or use the RF signals to charge the power source. BKDs may be Internet of Things (IoT) devices in some examples.

BKDs may use an antenna to receive a RF signal, use the RF signal for excitation (e.g., convert the RF signal into electricity), and/or modulate or otherwise modify and reflect the RF signal with encoded data. Other devices can receive a reflected RF signal transmitted by a BKD to determine the data the BKD is sending. BKD operations may be described in documents and standards from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). For example, the IEEE AMP topic interest group and the IEEE 802.11 standard may describe and the operations of BKDs.

Fully passive devices such as RF Identification (RFID) tags usually have different banks of memory. In normal operation, an RFID reader (e.g., a scanner) may be used to excite the RFID tag, and the RFID tag may respond with a pre-configured message that includes the information stored on one or more of the tag's memory banks. Other types of BKD can include sensors, which can store the sensor data on its memory bank and transmit the sensor data when the sensor receives an excitation signal, for example from a scanner.

Mechanisms for BKDs to coexist with typical wireless network devices (e.g., non-BKDs), for example in the sub-1 GHz and the 2.4 GHz bands, need to be developed. For example, onboarding and/or provisioning a device may be required for the device to access the wireless network. Devices may use different association and authorization methods to onboard the device with the wireless network. However, these methods may require multiple message exchanges and (relatively) heavy computing operations on the client side. A BKD may not be able to perform the multiple message exchanges and/or computing operations. Therefore, methods are described herein to onboard a BKD, whether the BKD is a passive device or an otherwise constrained device (e.g., devices for which energy consumption needs to remain minimal).

1 FIG. 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 is a block diagram of a BKDfor BKD onboarding. The BKDmay have an external battery, have just a limited power supply, and/or may be passive. The onboarding method described herein may enable the BKDto complete onboarding with a wireless network whether it has a power supply or is passive. Onboarding may include registering the BKDonto the network and/or activating the BKD(e.g., unlocking the BKD, causing or otherwise enabling the BKDto respond to additional signals such as signals requesting data from the BKD).

100 102 104 106 110 120 110 112 114 120 122 124 102 104 106 100 100 106 104 110 112 114 120 The BKDmay include an antenna, a transceiver, an energy module, logic, and storage. The logicmay include backscatter logicand a processor. The storagemay include a first memory bankand a second memory bank. The antennaand the transceivermay operate to transmit and/or receive signals, including receiving excitation signals and transmitting signals in response to excitation signals for example. The energy modulemay convert a signal the BKDreceives into electric energy the BKDcan use. For example, the energy modulemay provide electric energy to the transceiver, the logic(e.g., the backscatter logicand/or the processor), and/or the storageto enable the components to operate.

110 112 114 112 100 100 112 100 100 112 114 100 104 106 112 120 114 The logicmay include one or more modules (e.g., the backscatter logic) and/or one or more processing units (e.g., the processor). The backscatter logicmay include components for the BKDto perform backscattering or otherwise transmit signals. For example, the BKDmay use the backscatter logicto modulate or otherwise modify a signal (e.g., a signal the BKDreceives) to encode data onto the signal, thereby generating a new signal that includes encoded data. The BKDcan transmit the new signal with the encoded data to other devices by backscattering or otherwise reflecting the new signal. In some examples, the backscatter logicmay be a transponder or one of its components may be a transponder. The processormay control the operation of the BKD, including the operation of the transceiver, the energy module, the backscatter logic, and/or the storage. The processormay be one or more conventional processors, multi-core processors, microprocessors, microcontrollers, and/or the like.

120 122 124 120 122 124 120 112 120 114 114 100 112 104 The storagemay include any number of memory banks (e.g., the first memory bankand the second memory bank). The storagemay store data in the first memory bank, the second memory bank, and/or the like. For example, the storagemay store data and/or receive requests from the backscatter logicso the backscatter can determine how to modulate a signal and determine and/or retrieve data to encode on a signal. The storagemay also store data and/or receive requests from the processorso the processorcan determine how to instruct the BKDto operate (e.g., to instruct the backscatter logichow to modulate a signal and/or what data to encode on a signal, instruct the transceiverto transmit and/or receive signals, etc.).

100 100 100 122 100 124 100 120 100 100 100 122 104 114 112 122 104 112 122 104 122 The BKDmay be designed so that, even if the BKDis a passive device, the BKDcan respond in a different manner to different types of exciting signals. The first memory bankmay store data that should be encoded onto a backscattered signal in response to the BKDreceiving a first type of excitation signal, the second memory bankmay store data that should be encoded onto a backscattered signal in response to the BKDreceiving a second type of excitation signal, and additional memory banks of the storagemay store additional data for transmission in response to the BKDreceiving additional types of excitation signals. Thus, when the BKDreceives the first type of excitation signal, the BKDmay encode the data stored in the first memory bankin a signal and backscatter the signal with the encoded data. For example, the transceivermay receive the first type of excitation signal, the processormay determine to and the instruct the backscatter logicto encode the data in the first memory bankto the signal in response to the transceiverreceiving the first type of excitation signal, the backscatter logicmay encode the data from the first memory bank, and the transceivermay transmit the signal with the encoded data. For example, the first memory bankmay encode data associated with onboarding.

100 100 124 124 100 122 100 100 Similarly, when the BKDreceives the second type of excitation signal, the BKDmay encode the data stored in the second memory bankonto the signal and backscatter or otherwise transmit the signal with the encoded data. For example, the second memory bankmay store data associated with standard data the BKDmay send during standard operation (e.g., device ID, location data, sensor data, etc.). The different types of excitation signals may therefore be used to onboard the device (e.g., using the first type of excitation signal to receive the onboarding data stored by the first memory bank) and to read the standard information from the device (e.g., using the second type of excitation signal to receive the data the BKDmay send during operation). The BKDmay transmit signals with encoded data back to the device that transmitted the excitation signal and/or another device.

100 100 100 100 100 100 100 To enable onboarding, the BKDmay be assigned (e.g., during manufacturing) an identifier or otherwise unique code. The identifier may be provided to the owner of the BKD, for example via an out-of-band means (e.g. sticker, QR code, online access code, etc.). The BKDmay send the identifier and/or information derived from the identifier (e.g., a hash generated from the identifier that the BKDgenerates and/or stores) when the BKDreceives a signal for onboarding (e.g., the first type of excitation signal) or onboarding is otherwise initiated. Network devices can then use the identifier and/or information derived from the identifier to recognize the BKDas valid and onboard the BKD.

2 FIG. 200 200 100 202 204 206 200 202 204 204 is a block diagram of an operating environmentfor BKD onboarding. The operating environmentmay include the BKD, a controlleran Access Point (AP), and a receiving device. The operating environmentmay include a different amount of BKDs in other examples. The controllermay be any network controller such as a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Controller that controls the devices of the wireless network, such as the AP. The APmay enable devices to access the wireless network.

100 100 204 202 100 100 202 204 100 204 100 202 204 202 When the network determines to discover and/or onboard new devices (e.g., determining to onboard the BKDto enable the reception of the standard data the BKDcan transmit), the APmay emit a specific onboarding signal. For example, the controllermay determine to discover and/or onboard the BKDto enable the reception of data from the BKD, and the controllermay instruct the APto onboard the BKD. In another example, the APmay determine to discover and/or onboard the BKDwithout instruction from the controller. To initiate discovery and/or onboarding, the APmay transmit the onboarding signal on demand (e.g., in response to instructions from the controller), periodically, in response to a change in the network, and/or the like.

100 100 100 The onboarding signal may be the first type of excitation signal described above for example. The onboarding signal may have different RF characteristics (e.g. segment of a channel used, signal width and intensity etc.) and/or a different structure (e.g. modulation or encoding that triggers the activation of one or other memory bank on the device) than a standard excitation signal, such as the second type of excitation signal described above, that may sent to request standard information from the BKD. The BKDmay only respond to the onboarding signal if the signal matches the signal format code the BKDexpects.

100 122 204 206 206 206 204 100 100 204 206 100 204 206 100 204 206 100 100 100 124 Upon reception of the onboarding excitation signal, the BKDmay transmit a response, such as a backscattered signal with the onboarding data stored by the first memory bankencoded on the onboarding excitation signal, containing the identifier or some information derived from the identifier (e.g., a hash derived from the identifier). The APand/or the receiving devicemay receive the response. When the receiving devicereceives the response, the receiving devicemay transmit the response to the APand/or perform the onboarding of the BKDitself. The BKDmay send the response in a way and/or format that the APand/or the receiving devicecan compare the identifier of the response with the identifier originally obtained, such as by out-of-band means, to verify the BKDis valid. When the APand/or the receiving devicedetermines the BKDis valid by comparing the response to the identifier originally received, the APand/or the receiving devicemay onboard the BKD. Onboarding may include registering the BKDand/or activating the BKD. The onboarding process can be repeated, either for the same or for different excitation signals. For example, the second memory bankmay contain device identity information, a third memory bank may include sensor information, etc., and an onboarding process may be performed to access each memory bank.

100 100 204 206 204 124 100 106 204 206 100 Once the BKDhas been onboarded as described above, the BKD, the AP, and/or the receiving devicecan perform standard or regular communications. For example, the APcan transmit other types of exciting signals (e.g., a standard excitation signal, an excitation signal to receive the data from the second memory bank, etc.) to energize the BKDvia the energy moduleand/or obtain standard information from the other memory bank(s). With the capability to send a certain type of excitation signal to access different memory banks, the APand/or the receiving devicecan access, unlock, discover, etc. different types of information from the BKD.

100 204 120 100 204 206 204 100 100 100 The BKDmay require the reception of a particular excitation signal (e.g., type of excitation signal) from a device (e.g., the AP) to unlock or otherwise encode the data from a particular memory bank of the storage. The BKDmay indicate the type of excitation signal required for via backscattered signals to the APand/or the receiving deviceso the APcan subsequently send the indicated type of excitation signal to access the desired memory bank. For example, the BKDmay indicate one or more excitation signal types to access one or more memory banks in a transmission the BKDis responding to for a different memory bank (e.g., including the excitation signal types in a backscattered signal that includes data encoded from a specified memory bank based on the type of excitation signal the BKDpreviously received). In some examples, the backscattered signal may include a hash that indicates the structure needed for a subsequent message to unlock a response from an indicated memory bank.

3 FIG. 300 300 305 310 310 204 100 204 202 is a flow chart of a methodfor BKD onboarding. The methodmay begin at starting blockand proceed to operation. In operation, an identifier associated with a BKD is received. For example, the APmay receive an identifier associated with the BKD. The APmay receive the identifier via an out-of-band means (e.g. sticker, Quick Response (QR) code, online access code, etc.), from the controller, via the Internet, and/or the like.

320 204 100 204 100 202 100 310 204 100 204 100 In operation, it may be determined to onboard a BKD. For example, the APdetermines to onboard the BKD. The APmay determine to onboard the BKDin response to instructions from the controller, in response to detecting a change in the network (e.g., the presence of a new device in range of the network), in response to receiving the identifier associated with the BKDin operation, and/or the like. The APmay also be provisioned to periodically attempt to onboard devices such as the BKDand/or the like. Thus, the APmay not actively determine to onboard the BKDin every example.

330 204 122 204 124 In operation, an onboarding excitation signal may be transmitted to the BKD to request data from a memory bank of the BKD. For example, the APtransmits an onboarding excitation signal to request the onboarding data from the first memory bank. The onboarding excitation signal may have different RF characteristics and/or a different structure compared to standard excitation signals and types of excitation signals the APmay transmit to access data in other memory banks like the second memory bank.

340 204 100 204 100 330 100 In operation, a response to the onboarding excitation signal may be received from the BKD. For example, the APmay receive from the BKDthe response to the onboarding excitation signal the APtransmits to the BKDin operation. The response may include the identifier associated with the BKDand/or information derived from the identifier such as a hash generated using the identifier.

350 204 100 310 340 204 In operation, the BKD may be verified to be valid based on the identifier and the response. For example, the APmay verify the BKDis valid by comparing the identifier received in operationand the response received in operation. When the response includes a hash generated using the identifier, the APmay decode the hash before comparing the identifier and the response.

360 204 100 100 350 204 100 124 300 370 In operation, the BKD may be onboarded based on verifying the BKD is valid. For example, the APmay onboard the BKDafter determining the BKDis valid in operation. The APand other devices of the network may then transmit to the BKDadditional excitation signals of different types to receive standard information, such as information stored in the second memory bankand/or additional memory banks. The methodmay conclude at ending block.

4 FIG. 4 FIG. 1 FIG. 2 FIG. 3 FIG. 400 400 410 415 415 420 425 410 420 400 100 202 204 206 100 202 204 206 400 is a block diagram of a computing device. As shown in, computing devicemay include a processing unitand a memory unit. Memory unitmay include a software moduleand a database. While executing on processing unit, software modulemay perform, for example, processes for BKD onboarding with respect to,, and. Computing device, for example, may provide an operating environment for the BKD, the controller, the AP, the receiving device, and the like. The BKD, the controller, the AP, the receiving device, and the like may operate in other environments and are not limited to computing device.

400 400 400 400 Computing devicemay be implemented using a Wi-Fi access point, a tablet device, a mobile device, a smart phone, a telephone, a remote control device, a set-top box, a digital video recorder, a cable modem, a personal computer, a network computer, a mainframe, a router, a switch, a server cluster, a smart TV-like device, a network storage device, a network relay device, or other similar microcomputer-based device. Computing devicemay comprise any computer operating environment, such as hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable sender electronic devices, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. Computing devicemay also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices. The aforementioned systems and devices are examples, and computing devicemay comprise other systems or devices.

Embodiments of the disclosure, for example, may be implemented as a computer process (method), a computing system, or as an article of manufacture, such as a computer program product or computer readable media. The computer program product may be a computer storage media readable by a computer system and encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process. The computer program product may also be a propagated signal on a carrier readable by a computing system and encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process. Accordingly, the present disclosure may be embodied in hardware and/or in software (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.). In other words, embodiments of the present disclosure may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-usable or computer-readable storage medium having computer-usable or computer-readable program code embodied in the medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system. A computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific computer-readable medium examples (a non-exhaustive list), the computer-readable medium may include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM). Note that the computer-usable or computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, via, for instance, optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted, or otherwise processed in a suitable manner, if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory.

While certain embodiments of the disclosure have been described, other embodiments may exist. Furthermore, although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described as being associated with data stored in memory and other storage mediums, data can also be stored on, or read from other types of computer-readable media, such as secondary storage devices, like hard disks, floppy disks, or a CD-ROM, a carrier wave from the Internet, or other forms of RAM or ROM. Further, the disclosed methods'stages may be modified in any manner, including by reordering stages and/or inserting or deleting stages, without departing from the disclosure.

Furthermore, embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced in an electrical circuit comprising discrete electronic elements, packaged or integrated electronic chips containing logic gates, a circuit utilizing a microprocessor, or on a single chip containing electronic elements or microprocessors. Embodiments of the disclosure may also be practiced using other technologies capable of performing logical operations such as, for example, AND, OR, and NOT, including but not limited to, mechanical, optical, fluidic, and quantum technologies. In addition, embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced within a general purpose computer or in any other circuits or systems.

1 FIG. 400 Embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced via a system-on-a-chip (SOC) where each or many of the element illustrated inmay be integrated onto a single integrated circuit. Such an SOC device may include one or more processing units, graphics units, communications units, system virtualization units and various application functionality all of which may be integrated (or “burned”) onto the chip substrate as a single integrated circuit. When operating via an SOC, the functionality described herein with respect to embodiments of the disclosure, may be performed via application-specific logic integrated with other components of computing deviceon the single integrated circuit (chip).

Embodiments of the present disclosure, for example, are described above with reference to block diagrams and/or operational illustrations of methods, systems, and computer program products according to embodiments of the disclosure. The functions/acts noted in the blocks may occur out of the order as shown in any flowchart. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.

While the specification includes examples, the disclosure's scope is indicated by the following claims. Furthermore, while the specification has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, the claims are not limited to the features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example for embodiments of the disclosure.